The 44th Annual International Space Development Conference is in McLean, VA, June 4-7, 2026

The National Space Society is pleased to announce a keynote presentation by Gerry Griffin at its 44th annual International Space Development Conference in McLean, VA, June 4-7, 2026. Griffin was a flight controller during the Gemini program and a Flight Director on all the Apollo flights, from Apollo 7 through Apollo 17, leading the “Gold Team.”

Dr. Pascal Lee, chair of ISDC 2026, said, “The Apollo Program was a historic achievement in human aspiration, boldness, ingenuity, organization, science, and exploration, and a demonstration of the limitless power of teamwork and sheer will. Central to this effort were leaders like Gerry Griffin, who we are honored to celebrate at ISDC this year.”

Griffin went on to be the Congressional liaison for NASA in Washington, D.C., then the Deputy Director of the Dryden Flight Research Center in California, the Deputy Director of the Kennedy Space Center, and the Director of the Johnson Space Center, where he oversaw some of the space shuttle’s earliest missions.

Griffin then entered private industry and remains active on multiple boards and organizations today. He has also been a highly sought-out advisor for motion pictures including “Contact,” “Apollo 13,” “Deep Impact,” “Apollo 18,” and was featured in Tom Hank’s HBO series “From the Earth to the Moon.” His most recent movie credit is in the Scarlett Johansson/Channing Tatum romcom “Fly Me to the Moon.”

Rod Pyle, ISDC 2026 co-chair and author of Griffin’s official biography, said: “I’ve met a number of truly remarkable people over the years, many of them in the space trade, but Gerry Griffin just tops the list. He is a lifelong overachiever and was a key link to NASA’s success during the Apollo and early shuttle years. Even today, at age 91, he is sought out—most recently to chair the recovery efforts from the floods that hit south and central Texas in 2024. His attendance at the ISDC is a gift to us all.”